Iran's President Hassan Rouhani criticized Saudi Arabia on Wednesday over what he called "unprecedented" interference in Lebanese affairs and added his voice to those who suspect the Gulf kingdom forced Lebanon's prime minister to resign.

Rouhani's remarks followed a phone call to his Lebanese counterpart the previous day, in which the Iranian president pledged Tehran's support for Lebanon's stability following the resignation of the Saudi-backed Prime Minister Saad Hariri.

Ambassador Elizabeth Richard, accompanied by Deputy Undersecretary of the Air Force for International Affairs Heidi Grant, met with LAF Commander Joseph Aoun to announce the U.S. Government’s reimbursement of $42.9 million for LAF Border Operations, the US embassy said in a statement on Wednesday.

Prime Minister Saad Hariri received a telephone call from Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Wednesday, his media office annouced.

Dar Al-Fatwa, the highest Sunni authority in Lebanon, witnessed crowds of visitors for the third day in a row on Wednesday, most notably ex-President Amin Gemayel, Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea and French Ambassador Bruno Foucher in the wake of Prime Minister Saad Hariri's sudden resignation.

Following Prime Minister Hariri's statement on 4 November 2017, the Ambassadors of the European Union in Lebanon reaffirm their strong support for the continued unity, stability, sovereignty, and security of Lebanon and its people, a statement released by the EU Ambassadors in Lebanon said on Wednesday.

Stunned Lebanese fear that Prime Minister Saad Hariri's surprise resignation last weekend — announced from Saudi Arabia in a pre-recorded message — was a "power play by the kingdom aimed at wrecking a delicate compromise with Hizbullah and taking a swipe at regional rival Iran."

Prime Minister Saad Hariri has tasked MP Kazem al-Kheir to visit the Lebanese community in Australia to motivate them into taking part in the upcoming parliamentary elections by registering their names at embassies and consulates, the National News Agency reported on Wednesday.

President Michel Aoun is considering a meeting with the ambassadors of the five permanent members of the Security Council and ambassadors of the European Group and the Arab Group in the coming hours in the wake of Prime Minister Saad Hariri's resignation which stunned the Lebanese and left them hanging in uncertainty.

Russia on Tuesday voiced concern over Prime Minister Saad Hariri's shock resignation, urging “all foreign forces that have influence on the situations in Lebanon to show restraint and take constructive stances.”

“Moscow is worried over the developments in friendly Lebanon, which are jeopardizing the positive direction that had been developing since late 2016, when the executive authority crisis was overcome as a result of the election of Michel Aoun as president and the formation of a coalition government led by Saad Hariri,” the Russian foreign ministry said.

Free Patriotic Movement chief and Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil has met with Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah to discuss the fallout from Prime Minister Saad Hariri's shock resignation, media reports said.

The meeting, which was held on Monday, lasted “five hours,” al-Jadeed television reported.